Access to evidence-based mental health practices by persons over the age of 65 remains the lowest among all population groups. Officials from the State of Iowa recognize this problem and have proposed an 18 month planning process that culminates in the submission of a set of service demonstration and scientific research applications. These applications will: (a) support the development of EBPs for older lowans with mental illnesses and (b) provide a scientific understanding of the barriers and facilitators that are tied to the success of EBPs. To achieve these goals, the planning process follows the framework established by the Iowa Model of Evidence-Based Practice. The planning effort assembles a coalition of persons most concerned with improving the provision of care to older lowans with mental illnesses. The effort also sets out to bridge scientific knowledge about older adults with mental illnesses to the most common places of care. More specifically, over the 18 month planning period, the Iowa Coalition of Mental Health and Aging will convene three meetings, and in between these meetings, coalition members will conduct a formal study process of the critical domains associated with EBP development and prepare a set of service demonstration and scientific research applications. The planning process will be completed when the service demonstration and scientific research applications are submitted for formal review. In submitting these applications, the planning process leads directly to the follow-on purposes of RFA-MH-05-004. The completion of the proposed service demonstrations and scientific research will prepare the Iowa Coalition of Mental Health and Aging to lead the implementation of a state-wide wide system of evidence-based practice for older lowans with mental illnesses. This effort is critically important to the State of Iowa, and to those other states that face the numerous challenges presented by a growing population of older persons with mental illnesses. [unreadable] [unreadable]